STUART GRIMES (Newcastle Falcons). Lock. Born 4.4.74 in Aberdeen. 6ft 5in, 17st. Stuart Brian Grimes scored his third try for Scotland in the Scottish Mutual 2002 Autumn Test opener against Romania. Earlier in the year he had led Scotland in three games, including the two Test matches, on their North American tour. The outstanding athleticism he brings to bear from the second-row was a feature of Scotland’s 29 -12 win against Italy at the Stadio Flaminio in the 2002 Six Nations Championship. His first international try completed a thrilling, end-to-end move in the match against Ireland in March 1999. He made his first start for Scotland against Fiji on the 1998 summer tour, his first five caps having been won as a substitute. It was also the role in which he was introduced to the 1999 Five Nations Championship against Wales, but he became a permanent fixture in the title-winning team after Doddie Weir’s injury. Grimes has been on two tours to southern Africa with Scotland: he played in four matches there in 1997, including the win against Northern Transvaal, and he returned in 1999, appearing in three of the four games. Grimes played mainly at full-back and centre during his school days at Robert Gordon's College, Aberdeen, and switched to the second-row only in his final year. Thereafter his promotion through the representative ranks was swift, beginning when he won a back-row berth for Scotland under-21 while he was at Edinburgh University. His form for Caledonia in the 1996-97 season's European Cup was such that he was catapulted into the Scotland A XV making his debut in the 32-19 triumph against their South African counterparts. He helped Watsonians to the Tennents Premiership title in 1997-98, and after a season with Glasgow Caledonians he joined Newcastle following the 1999 Rugby World Cup. Stuart is a graduate in economics and accounts.
International record: 42 caps. 1997 - A(rep) 1998 - I(rep) F(rep) W(rep) E(rep) Fj A1 A2 1999 - W(rep) E It I F Arg R WC(SA U Sam(rep) NZ(rep)). 2000 – It I F (rep) W USA A Sam (rep). 2001 – F (rep) W (rep) E (rep) It I (rep) T Arg NZ. 2002 – E It I F(rep) W (rep) C USA R. Points: 15 - 3 tries.
Lock for Newcastle in Parker Pen Shield and Scotland Squad 2002/3